Toothbrush



p 1953 M. ZIMMERMAN 2,651,070

TOOTHBRUSH Filed Feb. 18, 1949 I '5 i FIG. 9 FIG. IO

INVENTOR.

MAX ZIMMERMAN ATTORMEY Patented Sept. 8, 1 953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOOTHBRUSH Max Zimmerman, New York, N. Y. Application February 18, 1949, Serial No. 77,263

2Claims. (01.15 185) (Granted under toothbrushes, and more specifically to toothbrushes of the type having covers for portion thereof. i H

Generally, toothbrushes are kept uncovered and in close proximity with other toothbrushes and toilet articles, thus allowing the bristles to gather dust, foreign matter and disease germs. Heretofore, in order to prevent such contamination of the bristles, containers adapted to encase the entire toothbrush have been provided. Such containers as have been employed are bulky, cumbersome in use, difiicult to keep clean, and easily lost.

A principal object of this invention is to provlde a novel covered toothbrush that can be stored among other articles or placed on a conventional toothbrush rack and remain free from contamination.

Another object is to provide a construction wherein a, toothbrush cover that provides a protective casing for the bristle portion of a toothbrush is nevertheless adapted to be removed readily to uncover the bristle portion when the brush is ready for use.

Another object is to provide a toothbrush coverthat is of relatively small dimensions, but encloses fully the bristle portion of the brush. A still further object is to provide a novel toothbrush and a cover therefor that serves as a, convenient handle portion for the toothbrush.

Another object is to provide an improved tooththe brush brush and cover arrangement that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, light in weight, and

of a, construction that will enable it to withstand handling to which it is subjected ordinarily in shipment and in use.

Other objects and many of the attendant ad-.

vantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a toothbrush, showing a, preferred embodiment of the invention, and showing a, number of positions of the cover element thereof in broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, shown partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view thereof, shown partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a further embodiment of the invention, with the cover part shown partly broken away, and showing other positions of the cover element in broken lines;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the invention, showing another position of the cover element in broken lines;

. pi 7 is a side elevational view f r theembodi- Title 35, U. s. aide/(1952),

sec. 266) ment of Fig. 6, with'the cover part shown partly broken away; I

Fig- 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a further modified embodiment of withthe cover partly broken away;

Fig. 9 is "a section taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 7; I

Fig. 10 is a'section taken along line Ill-40 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 11 is a section taken along line ll-ll of Fig. 8.

Similar numerals refer to v similar parts throughout the several views.

' Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 10 illustrate a toothbrush and covercomprising a body member l0 having bristles ll mounted or otherwise secured at brush end l2 of the body member l0 and a handle portion 13' atthe other end. The edge sides of body member H! are provided with longitudinal grooves 14 and I5, which extend along the length of said body member, terminating in transverse end walls IS. A cover member consists of a box like casing provided with ventilating holes 20 in the top 3| and side walls 32 and 33 thereof. End walls 34 and 35 of saidoover member are made somewhat shorter than the side walls 32 and 33 to form notched portions 36 and 36a. As shown, the notched portions 36 and 36a are dimensioned to carry the body portion I0 slidably therethrough. Extending inwardly from the lower part of the side walls 32 and 33 and at the end thereof remote from the handle portion l3 are pins 31 and 38, which are adapted to engage slidably grooves M and I5 and to be freely rotatable therein. Detents 39 and 40 are provided at the lower part of side walls 32 and 33, at the ends thereof adjacent the handle portion l3. The detents 39 and 40 project inwardly and engage the grooves l4 and [5 in a snap-locking action, hereinafter to be described in detail. In operation,'and assuming the parts to be in the position'illustrated in solid lines in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 10, the brush is made ready for use by lifting the handle end of cover member 30, thus disengaging detents 33 and 40 from locking action in grooves I4 and [5. Cover member 30 can then be moved forward so that pins 31 and 38 abut transverse walls l6 and so that cover member 30 can. be rotated about the pins 31 and 38 through degrees. The cover, disposed on the side opposite the bristles, can then be moved toward the handle portion l3, where thecover member 30 is pressed against handle portion l3 so that detents 39 and 40 again engage grooves l4 and I5, locking the cover in this position. In returning the cover member 30 to the position n detents 39 and 40 are first disengaged from grooves I4 andv I5. Cover member 30 is then moved forward until pins 31' and 38 abut forward transverse walls l6. and then rotated until it rests in. the position enclosing the invention the bristlesv H. By pressing cover member 99 against body member t0, the detents 39 and 10 are brought into frictional engagement with the grooves 14 and I5 to hold the cover member 39 secured on the body member l over the bristle mass.

Figs. 4 and illustrate a toothbrush and cover comprising a body member 80 having bristles 8! I mounted on one end and handleportion 82 at the other end. The edge sides of the body member 80 are provided with longitudinal grooves 83 and 84 that extend along the length of body member 80 and terminate in transverse walls 85 adjacent the handle end of body member 80. A cover member 90 consists of a box-like casing having a top 9! and side walls 92 and 93. The. cover is. formed with end wall 94- somewhat shorter than side walls 9-2 and 93 to form notched portion. 95, which is dimensioned to receive body member 80. End wall 96 is shorter than end. wall 94 and forms notched portion 91. Extending inwardly from the lower part of side walls- 92 and 93 and adjacent to end wall 96 are pins 98' and 99, which are adapted to engage slidably grooves 83 and 84 and to be freely rotatable therein. Detent 100 is provided at the. lower part of side wall 92, and a similar detent is provided at the lower part of side wall 93,- at the ends of side walls 92 and 93 adjacent the end wall 94, and are adapted to frictionally engage grooves- 83 and 84-. The brush. can be uncovered easily by lifting the brush end of cover member 90.. thus disengaging said detents from grooves 83 and 84, and rotating cover member 90 until end. wall 96 meets body member 80. In, this position. cover member 90 can slide toward the. handle portion 82, where it can be locked in position by means of said detents. After using the brush, the detentsare disengaged from grooves 89 and. 84 and cover member 90 moved forward in a. tilted position to the position over bristles H where it is then secured by said. detents to body member 80.

7 Figs. 6, '7 and 9 illustrate a toothbrush in which body member 45 comprises a brush end 46 and a. handle portion 41. The body member 45 has longitudinal grooves 48 and 49 extending the full length of the brush end; 46 and terminating just short of the handle end in transverse walls 16. Cover member 50 is an open-ended casing having ventilating holes 20, a top H. and side: walls 52 and 53, which have turned flanges adapted. to engage the longitudinal grooves 4.8 and 49 of body member 45v slidably. Depending from top 5! is. a transverse wall 5A. extending from. side wall 52 to side wall 53. Inv operating the device illustrated in. Figs. 6,. 7 and 9 it is apparent that the bristles: can be uncovered for use readily by grasping covermember 50 and sliding it rearwardly until it is stopped by abutment with transverse walls [6, After being used, the bristles are covered by sliding. the cover member 50 forward. until transverse wall; 54 reaches the bristles, thus preventing separation. of the cover member 50 from body member 45.

In Figs. 8 and 11 there is shown a-eonstructioriwherein atoothbrush body membertli is of a rectangular cross-section and is provided with an end-stop portion 6!. Cover member 65 is in the form of a casing open at one endand adapted to receive the bristles of the brush therethrough and having side walls 61 and 68, the lower portions thereof being formed into chamiel' shapes and adapted to receive slidably the body member '4 59. Well it closes the rear end of the cover and is. elongated to form end piece 12, which serves to prevent separation of cover member 65 from the handle portion of body member 60. The manner of uncovering the bristles for use and of covering them after use is generally similar to that of the device illustrated in Figs. 6, '7 and 9.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the. above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I. claim:

L A toothbrush comprising a body member having longitudinally grooved edge sides and limit.

stops at the ends of said grooves, a mass of bristles carried on a face of said body member, and a. cover member adapted when in one position to; encase said bristles, said cover member carrying pins. engaged slidably and rotatably in said. grooves and adapted to be limited in travel by said stops, and carrying detents adapted to en. gage said grooves remorvably, whereby said cover member is retained on. said body member and. is slidable and rotatable relative said body member to remove said cover member trom such encasing relation and to secure said cover member at a. selected one oi a plurality of positions on said body member,

2, A toothbrush comprising a body member having longitudinally grooved edge sides and limit stops at the ends of said grooves, a mass of bristles carried on a face of said body member, and a cover member adapted when. in one position to, encase said bristles, said cover member carrying pins upon. its opposed side walls, said pins being. positioned proximate an end of said member and being engaged slidably and rotatably in said grooves adapted to b limited in travel by said stops, detents in the said side walls of said cover member proximate the other end of. said member, said detents engaging said grooves slidably and removably whereby said. cover member is retained. on said body member and is slidable and rotatable relative said body member to: remove said cover member from such encasing relation and to secure said cover mem her at a selected one of a plurality of positions on said body member.

' MAX References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,054.,0-17 Miller Feb. 25, 1913 1,091,993 White et al Mar. 31,1914 1,103,879 Hofiman July 14, 1914 1,166,269 Smith Dec. 28, 1915 1,266,382 Bailey et al May 14, 1918 1,432,717 Miller Oct. 1'7, I922 1,960,807 Cole May 29, 193.4 2,051,009 Porter Aug. 11,1936 2,236,240 Lowen Mar. 25,1941 2,370,414 Ostrander Feb. 27, I945.

FORETGN PA'IE'ENII'S Number Country Date 16,596 Great Britain May 29, 1897 322,610 Italy Nov. 26, 1934 

